Automatic fare paying device for vehicles and method

• US 20040134746A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asahi Seiko CO., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Seiko CO., Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyaji, Masaru
• Granted Patent: US 7,191,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 194/217
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/08 Counting total of coins inserted

Abstract

A compact fare paying device has a housing for receiving a monetary member and at least one verifier unit in the housing for determining the authenticity of the monetary member. A storage device such as a safe can receive the monetary member or a return device can return it to the user. A control unit can compute the monetary value of the monetary member and compare the monetary value to a stored required fare value. If the monetary value is greater than the fare value, the monetary member can then be translated to the return device. If the monetary value is less than the stored fare value, the monetary member is stored for a predetermined time period to enable the user to deposit the required fare. If it is not deposited within the predetermined time period, the temporarily stored monetary value is translated to the return device.

Claims

1. A compact fare paying device comprising:

a housing having a first opening for receiving a coin and a second opening for receiving a bill;

means for automatically verifying the authenticity of the coin tendered through the first opening;

means for computing the monetary value of the tendered coin;

means for returning the tendered coin if the computed value is above a predetermined value;

means for automatically verifying the authenticity of the bill tendered through the second opening;

means for computing the monetary value of the tendered bill;

means for returning the tendered bill if the computed monetary value is above a predetermined value, and

means for storing the coin and/or bill when the computed monetary value is equal to a predetermined value.

2. The compact fare paying device of claim 1 further including means for providing a predetermined time period which is initiated by the entrance of one of a coin and a bill, and means for activating one of the means for returning the tendered coin and means for returning the tendered bill when the predetermined time period expires before one of the means for computing the monetary value of the tendered coin and the means for computing the monetary value of the tendered bill computes a value equal to the predetermined value.

3. The compact fare paying device of claim 1 further including a display on the housing to indicate when a predetermined value is entered.

4. The compact fare paying device of claim 3 further including means for receiving a card for providing one of a debit and credit of the predetermined value and providing an indication on the display.

5. The compact fare paying device of claim 1 further including an antenna for sensing information on a smart card.

6. A compact fare paying device for mounting in a vehicle to provide an automatic receipt and verification of the required fare to enable use of the vehicle by a user, comprising;

a housing having an opening for receiving a monetary member;

at least one verifier unit in the housing for determining the authenticity of the monetary member and providing a corresponding signal;

a storage device in the housing for the storing the monetary member;

a return device for rejecting the monetary member;

means for translating the monetary member from the opening to one of the storage device and the return device;

means for computing the monetary value of the monetary member and comparing the monetary value tendered to a required fare to provide a corresponding signal; and

a control unit for receiving the signals from the verifying unit and the means for computing and activating the means for translating wherein only when the required fare is verified is the monetary member translated to the storage device and in all other events the monetary member is translated to the return device.

7. The compact fare paying device of claim 6 further including means for providing a predetermined time period which is started by the receipt of the monetary member wherein the means for computing will activate the means for translating to direct the monetary member to the return device if the required fare is not verified within the time period.

8. A method for paying a fare comprising the steps of:

receiving a monetary member;

counting a time period from the receipt of the monetary member;

automatically verifying the authenticity of the monetary member;

computing the monetary value of the monetary member;

automatically returning the monetary member if its monetary value is above a predetermined value equal to the fare;

temporarily storing the monetary member if its monetary value is below a predetermined value; and

automatically returning the temporarily stored monetary member if the counted time period is equal or greater than a predetermined time period.